To Catch a Thief
by keihra93
Summary: Life in the Rift was peaceful and quiet for Lillan Wolf-Eyes, that is until the day that she met Brynjolf- a young Nord just a few years older than her. Lillan finds her world turned upside down with Brynjolf around, but she won't deny that she enjoys his company and his charm. *SPOILERS* This story crosses over with Sweet as Honey.
1. Chapter 1

Lillan Wolf-Eyes was just a normal Nord, living a simple life on a good plot of land that lay just west and a bit north of Riften. She was fairly young, nearing her twenty-third year, with chestnut brown hair she kept up in a braid and amber eyes like a wolf. She came from a humble family of merchants who had retired in Solitude. She wanted a simpler life, so she left home just after her nineteenth birthday and found her way to the Rift Hold- falling in love with the peace and quiet and beauty of the landscape that surrounded her. She lived alone, much to the dismay of her family- especially living as close as she did to Riften and the Thieves' Guild ever so present. But Lillan was happy and content where she was- and very proud of her little farm where she grew fruit trees like peaches and apples, had a tea garden, and grew plenty of other fruits, vegetables, herbs, and the like. Everything she needed.

She had only been living near Riften for a few years, but she had already made a bit of a name for herself. She would take her wares into town, bringing her homemade jams and preserves or alchemy ingredients to the market to trade for things she needed like ingots for crafting building materials or pelts to make new clothing to name a few. She became friends with a lot of people in town, though she remained wary of anyone from or associated with the Black-Briar family- and rightfully so. When her business was finished in town, she would make her way down the green and golden leafed tree lined road back home or she would join her friends for a drink at the Bee and Barb.

One day after making her usual weekly delivery to Elgrim's Elixirs, Lillan spotted someone hurrying towards the Ratway. When she saw them drop something, she called out to them but couldn't catch them in time before they disappeared. She retrieved the item from where it had landed, catching it before it slid down into the water. She looked it over, but she didn't see a name or anything. She tucked the parcel away in her basket, then made her way through the Ratway and headed towards the Ragged Flagon- hoping she wouldn't meet with any trouble on the way.

* * *

"Um, excuse me?" A young woman asked, looking up at a gruff and imposing Imperial man.

"You lost or something?"

"N-No, sir, I was just looking for someone who may be able to help me."

"Go to the bar, speak with Vekel."

The young woman nodded and quickly made her way to the bar.

"Welcome to the Ragged Flagon, what can I do for you?"

"Are you Vekel?"

The man who greeted her nodded. "That I am."

"I was looking for someone that may be able to help me."

"Oh? What would you need help with?"

The young woman rummaged through the basket she carried and produced a parcel, handing it to him. "I found this outside on my way home, but I couldn't catch the person who dropped this in time. I saw them come to the Ratway, so I was hoping that you might know who this belongs to? It looks rather important and I wouldn't want them to get into any sort of trouble for losing it."

Vekel looked over the parcel, seeing the identifying seal still intact. "Aye, I know who's this is. He should be back any moment, if you'd like to wait?"

The young woman nodded and took a seat off to the side as she waited. And she didn't have long to wait.

Out in the Ratway, a young man sulked as he made his walk of shame back to the Ragged Flagon after having dropped the parcel that contained his mark. He was a new recruit of the Thieves' Guild and he really didn't want to disappoint the guildmaster by screwing up his first big job.

The chatter from the tavern echoed in the large chamber that housed it and the young man sauntered his way to the bar, hoping to hide while he tried to figure out a way to tell the guildmaster and his mentor he screwed up big.

"Ah, Brynjolf, welcome back!"

The young man looked up at Vekel as he approached the bar. "Shh..! Not so loud, Vekel."

Vekel raised a brow. "Lose something, did we?"

Brynjolf groaned and put his face in his hands. "What am I going to tell Gallus?"

"Well, before you go beating yourself up too much, there's someone here to see you." Vekel said, pointing towards the far corner.

Brynjolf followed his finger and saw a strange young woman sitting with a basket in her lap, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Who's that?"

"She has something for you."

Brynjolf looked at Vekel, brow raised with curiosity, before he stood and made his way over to the young woman. "Hello."

"Hello."

"Vekel said you had something for me?"

The young woman looked up at him with intense amber eyes like that of a wolf. "Did you by chance drop this parcel?" She showed the young man before her the parcel.

Brynjolf sighed in relief when he saw the parcel in her hand and took it from her. "By the Nine, you found it..!"

The young woman stood, smiling. "I'm glad I was able to return it to you."

Brynjolf watched as she started to make her way back towards the Ratway. "Wait!" When she stopped and turned back towards him, he asked her name.

"Lillan." she replied before making her exit.

Brynjolf looked down at the parcel and thanked the strange young woman with eyes like a wolf for saving his hide. He hoped that he would see her again so that he could properly thank her, but for now he had to report in and hope that he didn't get into too much trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

Quite some time passed since Lillan had first met Brynjolf and she honestly didn't pay it any mind really, not with the big harvest coming up. She worked tirelessly, day and night, to bring in the harvest before the heavy rains set their sights on the Rift- which left her hardly any time to go into town.

Meanwhile, Brynjolf was just as busy with his guild duties and was grateful beyond compare to Lillan for saving his hide. Gallus cut him a bit of slack, but his mentor- Mercer Frey- gave him a run for his money and piled job after job on him as punishment. Complain as he might, Brynjolf knew that it was good work and knew deep down that Mercer was just trying to groom his talents. He did keep an eye out in town for Lillan, though, after finding out she frequented the market. He wanted to thank her properly for helping him like that, but he never did see her again and wondered if something happened to her.

Days had turned into weeks before either of them saw each other again and when they did meet again, it was not how either of them had planned.

* * *

Thunder cracked above and Lillan looked to the skies, seeing the gray clouds growing darker by the second.

"I thought I had a bit more time today..." she thought aloud before gathering what the crops she had harvested and hauling them inside- barely making it through the door before the rain started pouring down.

Lillan set the baskets in the kitchen by the table, then went to each window and made sure they were securely shut and locked as the wind picked up outside. When she reached her bedroom, though, she noticed that the window was open and hurried over to close it. She checked the books that had been laying out on the shelf and dried them off- grateful they didn't get any wetter than they had. Sighing, she turned to head back outside and make sure her animals were safe.

Unbeknownst to her, a figure hidden in the shadows slunk forward and began searching her bookshelves and storage chests- even her little safe near the alchemy table. They had been sent to retrieve an item for a prominent client and if they failed, it would be more trouble than they could probably survive. They searched everything as quickly and carefully as they could, hoping to find it before Lillan came back inside. But as their luck would have it, Lillan came through the main door and started to head for her bedroom to change out of her wet clothes.

'Damn... I need just a little bit more time...' they thought to themselves and hid in the shadows.

Meanwhile, Lillan went to the shower basin and pressed the button to start the water flow before going to her wardrobe and pulling out a clean set of clothes- placing them by the fire to warm. She undid the ties of her dress and slid out of the wet clothing, setting it to the side before grabbing a fresh towel and bar of soap. Placing the towel and soap to the side, she stepped into the water and flinched a bit at the coldness, but was glad she quickly got used to it and hurried to clean herself off.

As Lillan cleaned herself off, she thought she heard a faint creaking and turned to look around only to find nothing.

'Something is off...'

She rinsed off the last of the soap and dried herself off before slipping into her clean clothes, then pulled on her robe and searched her home. Going room by room- which didn't take long since there was only the kitchen, her bedroom, a guest room, and her workshop- she was relieved to find nothing amiss, even if the feeling of unease didn't go away.

'I wonder what that was...'

As she turned to head into the kitchen, however, she heard a faint shuffle to her right and reached for the nearest weapon she could find- which happened to be a simple iron dagger. She turned towards the shuffle as it came again only to have someone wrestle her to the floor and knock the dagger free from her hand. She struggled against the intruder, but they had her arms pinned above her head with one hand and the other covered her mouth.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

Lillan looked at the intruder, the faint light of the fire in the kitchen hearth barely bright enough to see any defined features of his face.

The intruder looked down at the woman beneath him, still not quite getting a good look at her face until lightning streaked across the dark skies outside- giving enough light in the room to give him pause.

"Lillan?"

Lillan looked at the intruder as he removed his hand from her mouth and released her hands. "Brynjolf?"

Brynjolf scooted away from her and stood, turning away as he processed his situation. "By the Eight...!"

Lillan cautiously got to her feet, retrieving the dagger from where it had landed on the floor. "What are you doing here?"

"This is your home?"

Lillan nodded. "I'll ask again, what are you doing here?" She noticed his attire as another flash of lightning came. "You're a member of the Thieves' Guild..."

Brynjolf sighed and nodded.

Lillan felt like an idiot. "I should have known... why else would you be carrying a sketchy parcel...?" She sighed and went to her workshop, setting the dagger on the table next to the small chest she unlocked.

Brynjolf watched as she fiddled with some paper cards within the chest before pulling one out and bringing it over to him, holding it out.

"Is this what you came for?"

Brynjolf looked at the piece of paper and saw that it was indeed the item he was sent to retrieve- Lillan's recipe for her fruity mead. "Lillan..."

Lillan just went over to the kitchen hearth and started a kettle of water on the fire. "You have what you came for, now please leave."

Brynjolf watched her as she kept her back to him and wanted to kick himself. This was no way to thank her for helping him the way she did. "Lillan, I'm sorry..."

"It's just a job, right? Maven should be pleased."

Brynjolf was surprised she knew right away who hired the guild for the job. He wanted to say something, anything, but Lillan just asked him to leave again and he knew there was nothing more he could say in that moment. Feeling defeated and guilty, he took his leave and disappeared into the rain as he headed back towards Riften.

Lillan felt her chest tighten when she heard the door close and sat down. 'Why...?' she asked silently of no one in particular. She had been looking forward to the next time she would see Brynjolf, unsure as to why, but she never expected it to be like this. 'Technically, he didn't steal anything, though...' she told herself. 'I did give him the recipe after all...'

As the kettle whistled and Lillan prepared herself a cup of tea before turning in for the night, Brynjolf hurried back to Riften as the storm continued to rage. When he reached the hidden entrance to the cistern, he pressed the shadowmark and climbed down. He reported in to Mercer, turning over the recipe and collecting his payment. Having finished his job for the night, he made his way to the tavern and plopped himself down at the bar.

"You seem troubled, Bryn."

Brynjolf looked up as another guild member joined him. "Not in the mood, Vex."

"Aww, did you mess up on another job?"

Brynjolf groaned and tried his best to ignore her, grateful when Delvin- another member of the guild- sidled up to him. "I said I'm not in the mood."

"What happened, Bryn? Get yourself mixed up with something you couldn't handle?"

Brynjolf sighed and drained his tankard. "She just gave it to me..."

"Who, your mark?"

Brynjolf nodded. "It'd have been easier if I didn't know who she was..."

"Who was it?"

"Lillan..."

"That young woman who returned your parcel awhile back?"

Brynjolf nodded. "That's no way to thank her for saving my hide..."

"Well, what's done is done, Bryn. Not much you can do to change it."

"I know..." Brynjolf paid Vekel and stood. "I'm going to turn in for the night, I'll see you two later."

"Alright."

Vekel, Vex, and Delvin watched as Brynjolf sulked as he left the tavern to return to the cistern.

"He's really tore up about this whole thing."

"I don't see why; it's just another job. We steal from people we know all the time."

"Brynjolf is different, Vex, remember that. He's as good a thief as any of us, but he will always try to find the path of least resistance and strife."

"Maybe he just really likes the girl?"

"Who knows?"

In the cistern, as he turned in for the night and lay back on his bed, Brynjolf wondered how he could possibly make things up to Lillan. It would have been better if he had never met her, or maybe it'd have been better to know who the mark for the job was so he didn't get blindsided. But what he couldn't figure out is why it was bothering him so much.


	3. Chapter 3

Lillan woke the next morning to a quiet morning save the soft raindrops pittering against her roof as the storm continued. She dressed for the day, ate a quick breakfast, then went about her daily chores. Thankfully, the day before she was able to bring in the last of the big harvest and all that was left was her herb and tea garden- but they still needed some time.

Once she had milked her cow and collected the eggs from her chickens, Lillan spent the majority of the day cleaning and preparing her harvest for its various end results- ranging from jams and jellies to pickled to dry aged preserves. She lined her shelves with the dozens of jars, hung the herbs she had collected up to dry, then went about cleaning the kitchen once she had done what she could for the day. The rain outside was letting up, even if the storm had yet to subside, so she figured she should go into town for her usual trades while the weather was on her side.

Gathering everything into her basket and pulling her cloak on, Lillan ventured out into the rain and hurried down the road to Riften- hoping that she could get into town before the storm picked up again.

* * *

Brynjolf wandered about Riften, having no more jobs for the moment, and thought back on the night before. It was just another job, but it became personal when he found out that Lillan was the mark. He had only ever met her the once, but she had made a lasting impression on him when she ventured through the Ratway and to the Ragged Flagon- all to return the parcel he had dropped so he wouldn't get into any sort of trouble. It showed a lot about her character and it was unusual to find that in people these days, especially in Riften. And then there was the night before, seeing her so vulnerable beneath him- so completely at his mercy as he overpowered her. It left him with a strange feeling, one that confused him to no end. He didn't know this young woman with eyes like a wolf, but something made him feel drawn to her and he was intent on finding out what.

As he wandered about Riften, he spotted Lillan coming in through the main city gate and head for the market. He pulled his hood down a bit more over his face and watched her go from person to person with her wares. He watched her speak for a few moments with each person, smiling and even hugging some of them before moving on to the next person. He followed her as she made her way through the city, keeping out of sight as he studied her.

'She's very people oriented.' he observed.

When Lillan headed down towards Elgrim's Elixirs, he leaned against a nearby archway and waited for her to come back out.

'What is it about her?'

* * *

Lillan went about her rounds, her final stop being Elgrim's Elixirs. She had brought some extra wormwood for Elgrim after hearing that he was having issues with his stomach. She was pleased to hear that he was on the mend and hoped that the extra wormwood would help him to fully recover soon. With all of her errands and business finished, Lillan made her way back up to the market and started heading home- noticing that the rain was starting to pick up again and was getting the feeling that someone was watching her. She hurried down the road, trying to put distance between her and whoever was watching her- or at least get home before they caught up to her.

The storm was picking up rather quickly, though, and the road was getting slick. Lillan kept her eyes on the road, trying to be careful about where she stepped, but it was difficult and she would briefly lose her balance as her foot slipped across one of the cobblestones. She would steady herself, then press on, but the rain was making the road even more dangerous as the downpour continued so she moved off the road and just pushed her way through the brush towards her home.

'That's a bit better...'

Lillan trudged through the thickening mud until she reached her home and hurried inside, trying not to drag mud everywhere. She pulled off her cloak and hung it on the hook near the door, then pulled off her boots and set them to the side before going to her bedroom to change into something dry. She was glad to see that overall it was only her feet and calves that got muddy, so she just washed them off then pulled on a lightweight dress and went about cleaning up the mess she had made coming inside.

After awhile, everything including her boots and cloak were spotless once more and Lillan set about making some soup and tea. Not long after she started, though, she sensed something was off- just like the night before- and turned to look around her home.

"Who's there?" she called out as she searched room to room.

When she found nothing, she wondered if she was just being paranoid again and started to make her way back to the kitchen. As she turned back to the kitchen, however, she found someone leaning against the door with their arms crossed.

"What do you want?" she asked, eying the intruder.

"I just came to chat." the intruder said, looking at her as he lowered his hood.

"I'll ask again, Brynjolf: what do you want?"

Brynjolf pushed back from the door and stepped a bit closer to Lillan. "I wanted to apologize."

Lillan scoffed and turned away, going back to the vegetables she was cutting for the soup. "And what makes you think I would accept it, or even want it for that matter?"

Brynjolf sighed. "Look, it was just a job and I never would have accepted it had I known you were the mark."

"Were your troubles properly compensated?" Lillan asked sarcastically.

"Lillan, I'm sorry. That was no way to repay you for saving my hide like you did. I want to make it up to you, however I can."

Lillan ignored him as she added the last ingredients to the soup and took the kettle from the fire as it whistled.

"Lillan, please let me make it up to you?" Brynjolf asked, watching her as she pulled down a jar of tea leaves- still ignoring him. Sighing, he pulled out a coin purse and set it on her kitchen table. "Here, this is the payment I received for the job last night. It's only fair that you should have it instead." He turned away and made for the door, only stopping when Lillan told him that he shouldn't go back out into the storm, that the roads were too dangerous right now. He looked at her, confused- even more so when she tossed a towel at him and told him to get cleaned up.

"I may be upset, but I'm not heartless. It's dangerous out there right now, so you're staying put."

Brynjolf watched her for a moment or two, still a bit confused, but he did as she said and cleaned himself up. He set the towel over the back of one of the chairs and sat in the next chair over as Lillan brought over a couple of mugs and the tea kettle.

"I really am sorry, Lillan." he said as she set out a small jar of honey and a small bowl of sugar.

"It was just a job, right?" Lillan replied as she sat across from him.

"Lillan..."

Lillan sighed as she stirred in a bit of honey to sweeten her tea. "I'm sorry... Maven Black-Briar has been hounding me for that recipe for months now. I just needed a little more time to perfect it before I sold her the recipe. Impatient witch..."

Brynjolf had to chuckle at that last part, but the first part made him curious. "Was that why you just gave me the recipe?"

Lillan nodded as she sipped her tea. "I needed another week or two and it would have been ready, but if that hargraven of a woman was so impatient that she hired a thief to retrieve it? Well, then she can just deal with an imperfect recipe."

"Are you not afraid she may come after you when it doesn't turn out right?"

Lillan shrugged. "It's her own damn fault. She should have waited for me to finish it and come to her." She looked at Brynjolf, brow furrowing a bit when she noticed his expression. "What?"

Brynjolf just leaned back and shrugged, holding the mug in one hand while his other one hung behind the back of the chair as he lounged. "Nothing, I just can't recall ever meeting anyone quite like you before."

"Not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not."

Brynjolf smiled. "Believe me, it's a compliment."


	4. Chapter 4

By morning, the storm seemed as though it would continue bombarding the countryside until the end of days. Lillan quickly and carefully checked in on her animals, then hurried back inside to prepare some breakfast.

Meanwhile, Brynjolf was still passed out in bed and didn't stir until the scent of bacon and freshly brewed coffee started wafting through the house. He groaned as he sat up in bed, rubbing his neck as he got his bearings before standing to stretch. He could hear the torrential downpour against the roof and sighed, wondering how long before the storm would subside.

"Morning."

Brynjolf looked up as Lillan offered him a smile. "Morning."

"Would you like some coffee while you wait? Breakfast is nearly ready."

"Sure." Brynjolf took a seat at the table, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as Lillan set the pot of coffee down on the table along with a small pitcher of cream and the bowl of sugar. "Thanks."

"How'd you sleep?"

Brynjolf poured himself some coffee, added in just a bit of cream, then stirred in a couple spoonfuls of sugar. "Better than I have in weeks, oddly enough."

Lillan had to smile at that. "I always sleep better when it rains. Something about the smell, the feel of the air, just makes me feel so relaxed."

Brynjolf watched her from over the rim of his mug as she maneuvered her way about the kitchen- occasionally bringing over a plate or bowl of food as it was ready. "You must really love living in the Rift, then. We get more rain around these parts than anywhere else in the province."

"I do actually. I mean I miss my parents, of course, but I feel more at home here." Lillan added as she brought over the last part of breakfast- hotcakes to compliment the bacon, eggs, and porridge with peaches or berries to mix in. "The people here- for the most part at least- are good people and have made me feel comfortable here."

Brynjolf took the bowl of porridge that she held out for him and spooned some diced peaches over the top. "Well, Riften is definitely better off for having met you."

Lillan looked at him, wondering if there was a deeper meaning behind his words or if it were just her imagination. She served herself some food as well, digging in as the conversation took on a different turn.

* * *

After an hour or so, Brynjolf helped Lillan clear away the dishes and such- standing next to her and drying the dishes after she cleaned them. "Are the animals going to be alright?"

"Yes, I made sure that the thatch coverings were secured so they'll stay nice and dry. They don't seem to mind the weather at all."

"That's good."

Lillan looked at the nearest window and sighed. "This storm just does not want to let up any at all."

"I know, and the roads are just as dangerous as yesterday."

"You're welcome to stay until things clear up a bit and the roads are safe again."

"I wouldn't want to be a burden."

"And I don't want you going out on slick, mucky roads that could kill you if you slipped."

Brynjolf looked at her, curious about her level of concern.

"Besides, you're not a burden so long as you help me around the house." Lillan felt him watching her and looked at him, blushing a bit at the way he was looking at her. "What?"

"You're quite something, Lillan. I don't know what it is about you, but you're different than any other woman I've ever met. And I'm glad to have met you."

Lillan felt her blush deepen and she returned her focus to finishing the dishes. "I'm glad I met you, too, Brynjolf."


	5. Chapter 5

A few days had passed before the storm subsided and the roads were safe enough to travel. Brynjolf had received a messenger bird from Gallus, checking in to make sure that he was alright after the second day he hadn't returned, and Brynjolf told his guildmaster that he would return to the guild as soon as the roads were safe once more.

During those few days, Lillan and Brynjolf had really bonded- becoming friends and beginning to trust each other. Brynjolf would help with the daily chores- as much as the storm would allow for- and was grateful to Lillan for all that she was giving him in return- food, lodging, company, good conversation. He really felt comfortable around her and knew that they would be friends for a long time to come.

The storm subsided and Brynjolf needed to return to the city, Lillan felt a bit disappointed after having grown used to his presence every day, but she knew he needed to return to the guild and get back to work. As they said their farewells for the time being, Brynjolf promised to visit as often as he could and Lillan was happy with that. As he hurried down the road, however, a courier approached her and handed her a letter. She read through the letter and saw that her father had grown ill and it was requested that she return to Solitude to see him as soon as possible as the sickness was taking its toll and his condition worsened. Lillan felt her heart sink a bit as she read the letter and hurried to get her things together.

She quickly went into town and searched for Shadr, who owed her a favor. She asked him if he could check in on her animals while she was away and when he accepted, she thanked him and hurried to the stables to borrow a horse from Hafgrir Horse-Crusher.

In the time it took for Lillan to make her arrangements, Brynjolf had already made it to the cistern and reported in to the guildmaster. He was assigned a new job and set out immediately, but what surprised him was seeing Lillan running through the city appearing upset. He wondered what was wrong, having left her with a smile upon her lips not too long ago. He made to go after her, make sure that everything was alright, but by the time he got to the main city gates she was already mounted into a saddle and urging her horse forward.

'What happened, Lillan?' he wondered.

* * *

Lillan had pressed on as quickly as she could, stopping only when her horse needed a break here and there. She paid the lodging fee at the stables, then hurried up the hill and into the city- heading straight for her parents' home.

"Mum?" she called as she stepped through the door.

Adisria the Gentle, Lillan's mother, came out into the hallway and hurried to her daughter's side. "Lillan, you made it..!"

Lillan embraced her mother, lingering for a few moments before stepping back and looking at the very weary woman. "How's Da?"

Adisria's face fell, as if it could any further, and she sighed. "We're losing him, dear..."

Lillan's chest tightened and she hurried to the master suite, sitting in the chair next to her father's side of the bed. Reaching forward, she took his frail hand in hers and looked at her sickly father. "Hey, Da, it's me. I came home to see you."

Herauk Triple-Tongue- so named for his knowledge in three different dialects- looked at his daughter and smiled weakly. "There's my little pup."

Lillan offered him a smile, trying not to cry. "I'm not so little anymore, Da." She lifted his hand and kiss the back of it, stroking it with her thumbs as she looked at him. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been much better, but I'm doing as well as one can given the circumstances."

"Can I get you anything?"

"You being here is more than enough, pup." Herauk said, smiling briefly before his body was overtaken by a coughing fit.

"Da!" Lillan's heart was pounding and she hurried to grab a cup and pour him some water. Once the coughing had subsided, she helped him drink from the cup. "Are you alright? Should I fetch the healer?"

Herauk shook his head slightly and settled back down. "No... I'll be fine..."

Lillan set the cup on the end table and sighed, seeing her father close his eyes and quickly fall asleep. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead before standing to leave the room.

"How long has he been like this?"

Adisria sighed, fighting back her tears. "It started a few months ago, but we thought it just to be a cold at first. He would seem to get better, then it would return only to disappear again. A few weeks ago, however, it started to take its hold."

Lillan hugged her mother. "I'm sorry, Mum..." She reached up and wiped the tears away. "Why don't you sit with him and I'll go to the market to fetch some ingredients for dinner?"

Adisria nodded, thanking her daughter before taking a seat next to her husband.

Lillan watched her mother and father for a moment, then pulled on her cloak and grabbed the basket from the kitchen before heading to the market.

* * *

Brynjolf got down from the carriage and thanked Sigaar for the ride, then headed up the hill into the city to find his mark. His new job was to find an item in Castle Dour, steal it, then plant it on a member of the Blackblood Marauders- who were starting to get a real foothold in Solitude. Once he set foot through the gates, he went about scouting the area while there was still daylight. As he searched, though, he found something- or rather someone- that he was not expecting: Lillan Wolf-Eyes, wandering the market.

'What is she doing here?' he wondered, then remembered that her parents lived in Solitude. 'She must be visiting, then.'

Brynjolf watched her for a few moments, seeing that she looked distraught even as she tried to hide it and kept a fake smile up whenever she spoke with anyone or passed by someone she knew. He wanted to follow her and make sure she was OK, but he had a job to do, too, so he followed her to her family's home and made note of the surroundings so he could find his way back after the job was completed.

'I'll stop by later and check in on her then.'


	6. Chapter 6

_**This chapter features King by Lauren Aquilina.**_

Lillan sat in her father's room after dinner, reading to him a bit before everyone turned in for the night.

"Pup, I'm sorry..."

Lillan looked up from the book. "Don't be, Da. These things happen."

"You and your mother are suffering for it, though..."

Lillan sighed. "Da, that's part of life. It's part of mortality." She thought a moment and smiled. "Remember that song grandmother once sang for me when I was younger?"

Herauk nodded. "I do..." He managed a small smile at the memory of his mother trying to cheer his daughter up after the death of her best friend. "Will you sing it for me, pup?"

Lillan nodded and set the book aside before beginning the song. "You're alone, you're on your own. So what, have you gone blind? Have you forgotten what you have and what is yours? Glass half empty, glass half full. Well, either way you won't be going thirsty; count your blessings not your flaws."

Down the hall, Adisria heard a knock at the door and went to answer it. "Can I help you?"

"Good evening, miss. I'm looking for Lillan."

"And you are?"

"A friend of hers."

"Ah, well then, please do come in."

Adisria stood aside as the guest stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "Lillan is upstairs with her father." she said, then led the way.

As they grew closer to the room, they could hear Lillan singing from the master suite and stood in the doorway listening.

"You've got that young blood, set it free. You've got it all; you lost your mind in the sound. There's so much more, you can reclaim your crown. You're in control, rid of the monsters inside your head, put all your faults to bed. You can be King. There's method in my madness, there's no logic in your sadness. You don't gain a single thing from misery, take it from me. You've got it all; you lost your mind in the sound. There's so much more, you can reclaim your crown. You're in control, rid of the monsters inside your head, put all your faults to bed. You can be King. You've got it all; you lost your mind in the sound. There's so much more, you can reclaim your crown. You're in control, rid of the monsters inside your head, put all your faults to bed. You can be King again."

Herauk smiled and meekly squeezed Lillan's hand. "Thank you, pup..."

"Anything for you, Da, you should know that."

"I know." He tried to reach up to touch her cheek. "I want you to know that I love you, pup, and I am very proud of the woman you have become."

Lillan's chest tightened, getting the feeling that this was his way of saying goodbye while he still had the chance to. She smiled, fighting back her tears as she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "And I love you, too, Da."

"Lillan?"

Lillan turned at the sound of her mother's voice, then her eyes widened when she saw who was standing with her. She turned back to her father for a moment, giving his hand a small squeeze and told him to get some rest, then stood and left the room. "You should stay with him, Mum." She took a deep breath and tried to smile for her.

Adisria nodded, hugging her and excusing herself as she turned in for the night- closing the door behind her.

Lillan looked up at their guest. "What are you doing here, Brynjolf?"

"I had a job in town."

Lillan sighed as they walked down the hall. "I see."

"You don't approve?"

Lillan stopped in the foyer. "As long as no one gets hurt or killed in the process of these jobs, I won't say anything one way or another."

Brynjolf leaned against the wall and watched her for a moment. "Is this why you looked distraught when you left Riften?"

Lillan looked away and nodded. "Da has been sick for awhile, but he started taking a turn for the worse and Mum's letter took longer to reach me with the storms."

Brynjolf could see her fighting back her tears and stepped forward, touching her shoulder. "He said his goodbye earlier, didn't he..?"

Lillan nodded and her tears broke free. She let Brynjolf pull her into his arms and she cried into his chest.

Brynjolf stood there, holding her as she cried- unsure of what else to do- and stayed there with her for as long as she needed. When she stepped back, wiping her face clean, Brynjolf looked down at her. "Would you like me to stay with you tonight?"

Lillan shook her head. "I think I'll be alright."

"Are you sure?"

When Lillan nodded, Brynjolf hugged her again, lingering as long as she would let him. "If you need anything, I'll have a room at the WInking Skeever."

"Thank you, Brynjolf."

* * *

When morning came, Lillan woke to find her father had passed in the middle of the night and her mother distraught. Lillan she tried to comfort her mother, but there was nothing else she could really do- her mother and father had been married for nearly forty years and now he was gone.

Word of Herauk Triple-Tongue's passing spread through the city, even reaching Brynjolf's ears in the Winking Skeever. Preparations for his funeral were underway and Brynjolf went to see Lillan, to offer his condolences and assistance.

Lillan was understandably not herself, but she did what she could to stay strong for her mother. When the time came for her father's funeral, she stood in black with her mother as Rorlund gave Herauk his death rites, then followed next to her mother as her father was carried to his burial place. She was grateful that Brynjolf was there to offer her what comfort he could, but when he offered to stay in the city with her a bit longer she declined and told him he needed to go back to Riften. She wasn't about to ask him to sacrifice his time any further for her sake and lose out on work or get in trouble with the guild. Promising to stay in touch, Lillan sent him off with the best smile she could manage and asked that he take the horse she had borrowed from Hofgrir back to Riften with him.

Brynjolf didn't want to leave her and he knew that Gallus would understand, but he wanted to respect Lillan's wishes and was satisfied with her promise.


	7. Chapter 7

**Three months later...**

Lillan stepped down from the carriage as Thaer pulled up to the Riften stables. She thanked him, then turned to Shadr as he came out of the stable house and spotted her.

"You're back!"

"I am. Thank you for looking after the animals for me while I was gone." Lillan pulled out a coin purse and held it out for him. "Here, this should be enough to compensate your time."

"No, there's no need for payment, Lillan. I owed you a favor and I was happy to help."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Shadr chuckled and offered her a smile. "It's good to have you back. Riften hasn't quite been the same without you."

"Well, it's good to be back."

"I'm... sorry to hear about your father..."

Lillan's smile faded a bit, but she kept a brave face. "Thank you. At least he's no longer suffering."

"How is your mother faring?"

"She promised she would be fine on her own when she insisted I come back home. She seemed as if she was on the mend when I left, though."

"That's good." Shadr replied. "Well, if you're up for it, you should join us for drinks later and we'll celebrate your return."

Lillan nodded. "I'd like that."

"We'll see you tonight then?"

"See you tonight." Lillan replied, waving as she turned to head back home.

As she went back down the road, she breathed in the familiar scent of the Rift's forests and was relieved to be back home. She hadn't wanted to leave her mother that soon, but Adisria was right: she needed to get back to her own life. She and her mother promised to write more often to each other, so she had some peace of mind there.

A lowing came from the stable as she neared her home and she smiled, hurrying to meet her milk cow, Clara, as she trotted over to her.

"Hey girl, sorry I was gone so long."

Lillan chuckled as Clara nuzzled her and the chickens came scurrying over.

"They missed you."

Lillan looked up and found a familiar face approaching from the road. "It would seem so."

"They weren't the only ones."

Lillan smiled at that and gently pushed Clara back, stepping towards her friend. "Oh? Have I made that much of an impression on you, Brynjolf?"

Brynjolf chuckled. "You could say that."

Lillan and Brynjolf stood there for a moment or two, then Lillan cleared her throat and gestured towards her house.

"If you aren't busy, you're welcome to join me for dinner and drinks tonight."

"Oh?"

"I'm meeting up with Shadr and a few others tonight; a welcome back party I guess?"

"I have some things to take care of later, but I should be able to join you after."

Lillan smiled at that. "It'd be nice to celebrate with all my friends." She thought a moment, realizing that Brynjolf must have been coming back into town. "I should let you go, wouldn't want you to get in trouble with your boss."

Brynjolf sighed, giving her a smirk as he said, "It's always worth it for you, Lillan."

Lillan blushed a bit as he winked and turned to head back down the road, waving back to him as he cleared the brush. "That man..." Lillan shook her head and went inside, setting her things in the bedroom. "What to do in the meantime..."

* * *

Laughter came from the Bee and Barb as Lillan sat with Shadr and their other friends, the clinking of tankards echoing with each laugh. They caught Lillan up on what she had missed while she was away, offered her their condolences, and before too long, people started turning in for the night.

Lillan left the tavern with Shadr and the bid the others a good night before heading out of the main city gate. Lillan left Shadr at the stables, thanking him again for caring for her animals while she was away, then headed home- softly humming to herself.

It was nice to unwind again, to have fun. It was something Lillan hadn't seen in weeks. She was grateful to the friends that she had made during her time living near Riften and she was thankful that she had people she could count on. Even if one of them was a thief.

As Lillan's mind turned towards her shadow-dancing friend, she had to smile. Brynjolf was a charmer, that much was certain, but he was also a good hearted and kind man. They may have gotten off to a rocky start when they first met, but Brynjolf had done enough try mend what was broken and build a trusting relationship with Lillan. And Lillan found that she really liked Brynjolf, more than she did anyone else- which made her wonder why that was. She thought perhaps it was simply because he just happened to be in Solitude the same time she was and had taken the time to check in with her, even comforted her when her father died and supported her during the funeral. They had kept their word, too, and wrote to each other often- well as often as they could given Brynjolf was constantly working.

Lillan turned onto the path that led from the road to the front porch of her home and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She stretched, hanging up her cloak before noticing something was amiss in her home. Sighing, she just stood towards the center of her home and called out to whoever was there to show themselves.

"You're not an easy one to fool."

Lillan looked towards the doorway of her workshop and crossed her arms as she eyed the intruder. "And who might you be?"

"A... colleague... of Brynjolf's."

"I see. I take it then that means you work for the guild as well?"

"Pretty and smart, though not surprising."

"What can I do for you?"

"You can tell me what Brynjolf means to you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know you, or what you're capable of, and Brynjolf seems to like you, but I still have my reservations."

Lillan sighed. "Look, Brynjolf has been a good friend to me. He helped me get through these last few months since my father died. I would trust him with my life if I had to and I would hope that he feels the same."

The intruder watched her a few moments, her arms crossed as she leaned against the doorframe, then smiled. "I believe you." She pushed back from the doorframe and made her way towards the back door as she added, "If you hurt him, though, I will find you and it won't be pleasant when I do."

Lillan sighed, releasing a breath she didn't realize she had been holding when she heard the door click closed and checked to make sure she wasn't still there. "I wonder who that was."

A knock came at the front door and just as a precaution, Lillan grabbed a knife from the kitchen and hid it behind her back as she answered the door. She relaxed when she saw who it was at the door, though, and let them inside.

"Sorry I couldn't make it to the tavern in time." Brynjolf said, showing her the bottle of Velvet LeChance he had knicked from Talen-Jei's stores. His eyes shifted to the knife Lillan set back down onto the table. "Everything OK?"

"Ya, just had a little visit from a colleague of yours."

Brynjolf's brow furrowed and he set the bottle down on the table. "Are you OK? What did they want?"

"Surprisingly, she just wanted to make sure that she could trust me." Lillan rubbed her forehead and looked up at him. "She seemed worried that I might somehow hurt you, even betray you."

"What did she look like?"

"Shoulder length blonde hair, nasty attitude upfront but clearly has a good heart hidden away."

"Ah, that would be Vex. She works a lot of jobs with Delvin and I; she's like our little sister."

"And overly protective, it would seem." Lillan noticed the bottle and pointed to it. "What's this?"

"Ah, this would be Velvet LeChance, a special spiced wine Talen-Jei has been working on. Thought we could give it a try."

"You nicked it, didn't you?"

Brynjolf nonchalantly opened the bottle and smirked. "Well, it's too late to return it now."

Lillan rolled her eyes and got up to fetch a couple of goblets for them to drink from. "One of these days, you're bad influence on me is going to start showing."

Brynjolf chuckled, pouring them each a goblet when she returned to the table. "Well, at least you'll have me to back you up and show you the ropes, should you ever consider joining the guild that is."

Lillan took a sip of the wine and eyed him over the rim of her goblet. "Is that so?"

"I think you'd make an excellent thief."

"I think I'll just stick to a simple life farming."

* * *

Lillan and Brynjolf sat for an hour or so, just talking and drinking- basically catching up on lost time. Even though they had exchanged letters, it was nice to be able to talk in person for once again.

"So..."

"So..."

"What's in this, anyway?"

"Apparently, it's blackberry, honey, and spice wine all mixed together with just a touch of nightshade."

"Don't the Khajiit use nightshade when brewing skooma?"

"I think so."

"Mmmm... well, it's delicious either way. And not nearly as potent as one would think, given it's special ingredient."

"I'll drink to that."

Lillan could feel the alcohol starting to set in and she leaned back in her chair. "So, what's going on with you the next few days?"

Brynjolf emptied his goblet and set it to the side. "No new jobs, for the moment at least. Why?"

"Just wondering. Hoping we could spend some more time together."

"Aww, did you miss me that much?"

Lillan stuck out her tongue. "So what if I did? Is it wrong to want to spend time with my best friend?"

Brynjolf looked at her surprised. "Best friend?"

Lillan nodded. "It's true. You're the best friend I have, Bryn, out of everyone I know." She smiled and stood. "I honestly think I'd be lost without you." She went over to the wash basin just outside of her room and splashed a bit of water in her face- the fresh cool of it pleasant against her skin.

Brynjolf was unsure what to say or do after that, but as he thought about it he realized that he felt the same about her. When he stirred from his thoughts, he found Lillan standing right in front of him- leaning over with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you alright?"

Brynjolf nodded, reaching up to brush aside a bit of the wet hair clinging to her cheek. "I'm fine."

"Good." Lillan stretched and yawned, feeling the effects of the nightshade starting to take hold. "Well, it's getting late. You're welcome to sleep in the guest bedroom, if you'd like."

"I should be OK." Brynjolf said as he stood, then the alcohol seemed to dig its claws in and he teetered a bit. "Or maybe not."

Lillan chuckled. "You're staying, then."

Brynjolf watched as she turned away, saying something about getting the bed ready for him. He followed her to the room, leaning against the wall as he watched her. He thought perhaps it was the alcohol that was making him feel strangely warm, but he did wonder if it were something else.

"There we are." Lillan said as she stood straight. "If you need anything, you know where to find me."

Brynjolf thanked her, surprised when she reached up to plant a small kiss on his cheek before she headed to her bedroom. 'Divines, I need to sleep on this one...'


	8. Chapter 8

Some time in the night, Lillan woke with a start- shaken from her dream. She found herself drenched in sweat, her heart racing, but she couldn't remember what she was dreaming about. She stood, starting the shower in hopes that the cool spring water would help clear her head.

In the guest bedroom, Brynjolf was roused by the sound of flowing water and got up to check on Lillan- unaware that she was in the midst of showering. He made to call out her name, but he stopped short of himself when he saw her slender body- back towards him- naked beneath the streaming water. He knew it wasn't right to watch her or to stare and quickly turned away, going outside to clear his head.

Lillan just wanted a quick rinse, something to cool herself down with, and once she had she turned off the water and grabbed the nearby towel to dry off. As the water stopped flowing, however, she heard the click of the front door closing. Wondering if Brynjolf was awake, she quickly dried off and grabbed the robe from the end of her bed. She checked the guest room, then made her way outside and found Brynjolf leaning against the railing.

"You alright, Bryn?"

Brynjolf did his best to hide his ever insistent blushing as he replied.

"Couldn't sleep?" Lillan asked, looking at him as he shook his head. "Well, I'm going to warm up some milk and honey. Would you like some?"

"Sure."

With that, Lillan went back inside and set about heating up the milk while Brynjolf exhaled sharply.

"Divines, what am I going to do...?" he wondered aloud. He looked up at the sky, the stars shining brightly in a cloudless sky with Secunda and Masser glowing even brighter.

As he watched the stars twinkling in the skies above Nirn, he recalled some of the thoughts that had crossed his mind earlier in the night- what that strange warm feeling was, how he was noticing more about her figure than he ever had, how she had kissed his cheek goodnight when she never had before, how hearing her call him "Bryn" made him feel. Lillan had definitely come to mean a great deal to him in the time they had come to know each other and he would count her as his best friend, as well. But he was beginning to wonder if it were more than that.

He shook his head and sighed, then headed back inside and was greeted with a mug of warm milk accompanied by a smile as sweet as the honey in it. "Thanks."

Lillan sat down at the kitchen table, setting a small plate of buns between them. As she bit into a bun, she noticed a new expression on Brynjolf's face. "What's on your mind?"

Brynjolf wasn't sure how to answer, so he just said nothing and sipped his milk.

Lillan raised a brow in peaked curiosity. "Mmhmm. You know for a thief, you're a terrible liar."

"That's a new one." Brynjolf said, chuckling. "Perhaps I'm only terrible when I'm with you."

Lillan smiled at that. "Perhaps. If that's the case, I'm honored." She gave him a wink over the rim of her mug. She offered him a bun. "What kept you up?"

"Just thinking."

"Anything in particular?"

"Not really. What about you?"

Lillan thought a moment as she chewed. "I think I woke up from some sort of dream but I can't seem to recall what the dream was about. I just woke up sweating and my heart was pounding. A quick shower seemed to help, though." She noticed Brynjolf's cheeks turn bright red and eyed him suspiciously for a moment. "You took a peek, didn't you?"

Brynjolf felt the heat erupt all over his face and down his neck as he stammered for an excuse. After a minute or two, he sighed in defeat and surrendered to her gaze of questioning. "I may have seen you when I came to check on you. I didn't stare, I promise! Soon as I saw you were naked, I turned away and went outside."

Lillan pulled her robe closer about herself, finding that she wasn't nearly as upset as she thought she would be. "Well, I'm glad to see you're a gentleman." Her cheeks were blushing, though not as much as his.

Brynjolf busied himself with scarfing down the rest of his bun and nearly choked, draining the rest of his mug of milk to wash it all down. He looked up to see Lillan giggling a bit as he coughed. "What's so funny?" he wheezed.

Lillan swallowed the rest of her milk and took his mug from him as she stood. "Nothing. You're cute when you're flustered."

Brynjolf groaned, knowing that he wouldn't live this moment down for a long time to come. He rubbed his temples and sighed, only looking up when Lillan planted a kiss on his head.

"I'm going to lay back down and see if I can't get back to sleep." Lillan said, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze before going into her bedroom. She stopped in the doorway, looking back at him to add, "I'm going to change, so no peeking."

Brynjolf rolled his eyes when she winked and went into her room. He waited a few moments, only getting up to return to the guest bedroom when he heard her bed creak as she lay back down. He tried to get comfortable and go back to sleep, the milk and honey starting to overshadow any lingering alcohol in his system, but after nearly an hour of trying, he got up and went to check in on Lillan.

Lillan was having the same difficulties, so she sat up in bed and read from one of her many books, but when she heard a knock and saw Brynjolf standing in the doorway, she set the book down and swung her legs out of bed. "Everything alright?" she asked, making her way over to him.

Brynjolf met her halfway and in a split second, made a decision that could make or break their relationship as friends: he kissed her.

Lillan was surprised when Brynjolf took her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her, but she felt as though it was right and she gave into his advances.

They stood there kissing for awhile before Brynjolf pushed her towards the bed. Lillan let him lift her nightgown over her head and Brynjolf leaned forward, feeling her soft skin as he gently moved her arms away and reached down to kiss her again.

Again, they immersed themselves in the kiss until the urgency began to rise and they kissed each other vigorously, each one more passionate than the last. Brynjolf slid out of his trousers and kissed her once more, sliding his cock into her and taking advantage of her gasp by sliding his tongue in to meet her. He rocked his hips back and forth, his hands on either side of her as Lillan's arms wrapped around him. He deepened their kiss and moved his hips faster, penetrating her womb harder. Lillan gasped and moaned, which only seemed to arouse Brynjolf more as he moved his hips faster and harder- his cock sliding in and out of her loins. He began to reach his climax, going as fast and hard as he could until the warm rush of his cum erupted into her.

Their bodies quivering, they lay back on the bed, staring up at the rafters while they struggled for a moment to catch their breaths. Once she had, Lillan rolled onto her side and rested her head against Brynjolf's chest as he wrapped an aching arm around her.


	9. Chapter 9

Lillan woke the following morning to find Brynjolf gone and wondered if it was just a dream. She got out of bed, slipped into her usual attire, then set about doing her chores for the day and thought back on the night before.

She had told Brynjolf that she counted him as her best friend while they enjoyed a drink together and she meant it. She also meant what she had told Vex, that she would trust him to have her back and trust him with her life if she had to. Then her mind turned towards Brynjolf's kiss and sharing her bed with him, bringing a rosy color to her cheeks.

As she milk her cow and gathered the eggs from her chicken, she caught a strange scent on the air- something that smelled like wet dog but mixed with something else. She turned towards the river and saw a couple of people coming up the hill- drenched as though they had to swim across the river and fight against the current.

"Rayla?" Lillan set the basket of eggs next to the milk pail and ran down the hill to meet her guests, one of whom was wounded.

"Lillan?" the woman asked in disbelief.

Lillan saw she was struggling with her companion so she slung his other arm over her shoulders . "Let's get your friend inside and patch him up."

"Lillan!"

Lillan looked up as Brynjolf came rushing over. "Help me get him inside, we need to check his wounds."

Brynjolf nodded and took over for the other woman, telling her to hold open the door. He helped Lillan carry the man over to one of the beds, then helped get his armor off so they could treat his wounds.

"Rayla, what happened?"

Lillan's old friend was Rayla Blackthorn, a young Nord woman about her age that she had known as a child. They were both from noble families, but after Rayla's father lost their fortune in the last war, Lillan hadn't seen her again. Until now.

Rayla was on the verge of tears, looking helplessly at her companion. "We were attacked... Farkas, he... it's all my fault...!"

Lillan hurried to her side and held her as she broke into tears. "Hush, it's alright..." She looked over at Brynjolf as he went about bandaging the man, meeting his gaze for a moment and knowing that he was wondering the same thing she was.

* * *

Farkas had faded into a deep slumber thanks to a tea that Lillan made for him and Rayla sat next to his bed, her hand grasping his.

Lillan stood with Brynjolf in the other room and watched her old friend trying to keep more tears at bay.

"What's going on, Lillan? Who is she?"

Lillan sighed. "Rayla and I grew up together as children. I haven't seen her in years, not since her father lost their family's fortune in the last war. Apparently, six years ago, her father married her off to a wealthy man in Karthwasten hoping that it would restore the family's fortune and status." Her heart sank knowing what her old friend had been forced to endure over the years. "Her husband had been abusing her since their wedding night and he forced himself on her. She endured it as long as she could, but one night some months ago, she couldn't take anymore and ran away. A Stormcloak found her and kept her safe until he could get her some better help. He sent her to Riverwood to seek out his sister and had been staying with them while trying to start over. About five weeks ago, though, when she made a delivery to the Companions, her husband showed up at Jorrvaskr and was asking about her. Farkas was the one who kept Rayla hidden from Velanus and sent him away. He was hired on as her bodyguard and escorted her back to Riverwood and has been keeping her safe since then, but a few weeks later Velanus showed up in Riverwood looking for her. They've been on the run ever since."

"By the Eight..." Brynjolf watched Rayla as she stroked Farkas' hand with her thumbs. "What happened to him?"

"Apparently, Velanus hired some thugs to try and find her and bring her back by force. From what Rayla told me, some of them caught up to them somewhere near Shor's Stone and they had to cut through the wilds. When the thugs closed in on them, Farkas took on all four of them and came out on top, but he was wounded in the process."

"Well, his wounds weren't grave, but he will need a day or two to recover."

Lillan looked at Brynjolf, reaching up to touch his shoulder. "Thanks, Bryn, I appreciate your help."

Brynjolf offered her a smile. "Anything for you, Lillan, you know that."

Lillan returned his smile, reaching up to kiss his cheek before she went over to check on Rayla. Brynjolf watched her for a few moments, then stepped outside to stand on the bunkhouse porch. He leaned against the banister, his hand on his pocket a moment.

'This can wait.' he thought, tapping the item in his pocket before turning to look at Lillan as she came out to join him. "Is she going to be alright?"

"I hope so." Lillan sighed. "She's been through so much... I wish there was more I could do to help her..."

"You're doing plenty, trust me." Brynjolf pulled her into a hug, hoping that he could help ease her worries. "She's lucky to have you, you know."

"And I'm lucky to have you." Lillan replied, leaning into his hug and smiling. "Thank you."

"Would you like me to stay?"

"Only if you want to."

"I'll stay as long as you need me."

"You know you're the best, right?"

Brynjolf chuckled. "I try."


	10. Chapter 10

A knock came at the door later that evening and Rayla's voice called out. "Lillan?"

Lillan popped her head out from her workshop and hurried over with a worried look on her face. "Rayla, is everything alright? How's Farkas?"

Rayla looked down at her hands. "He's better..." She fiddled with the fabric of her dress for a few moments, then looked hesitantly up at her old friend. "Can... can we talk..?"

"Of course, silly. Come, sit down and I'll make us some tea."

Rayla sat at the kitchen table and thought over what happened with Farkas not too long ago as she waited. 'Why would he... why would even care that much..?'

"Now, while the water's heating up, tell me what's on your mind."

Rayla sighed, unsure of where to start. "I guess I should start by thanking you..."

Lillan offered her a smile and reached across the table to pat her hand. "We're friends, Rayla, even after all these years. I'm always happy to help whenever I can, you should know that."

"I know... that's part of why I strive to do the same..."

"That's not what's bothering you, though."

Rayla shook her head. "I..." Her face fell and she felt her shoulders starting to shake as she fought back her tears.

Lillan scooted her chair closer and hugged her. "Shh... it's alright, take your time."

"I just... I feel... too weak.. *sniffle* to protect not just myself... but those around me..." Rayla said through her sobbing. "I... feel guilty... for getting innocent people involved in my problems... *hiccup* for letting Father order me around... instead of fighting back... for letting Velanus abuse me... *sniffle* for so long and for... not leaving him sooner..."

Lillan let her cry it out, unable to imagine how much she had been holding back for everyone else's sake. She continued to listen as Rayla explained that she didn't know what she could do to make it right, to make being a burden to Farkas up to him- that he had come to mean a great deal to her in such a short time- and how she felt horrible for having to hire him as a bodyguard because she was weak and powerless. She was surprised to hear Rayla sound so adamant about wanting nothing more than to protect him for once, to find her courage and stand up to her troubles, but she didn't know where to start or even if she could.

Soon after, Rayla went quiet for a few moments and sat back to collect herself. She couldn't remember a time where she had cried as much as she had in the last year.

"I'm guessing Farkas must have figured out you were blaming yourself." Lillan said, handing Rayla a handkerchief.

Rayla took it gratefully and nodded. *sniff* "'You have to stop blaming yourself, little mouse...' he told me, 'Not one single thing that has happened in the last six years has been your fault. Not one thing since I've met you has made you a burden to me.'" Rayla dabbed her eyes and sniffled again. "He said that my friends help me because they care about me and want to see me happy, that he volunteered to escort me and protect me after Velanus showed up at Jorrvaskr and that I wouldn't have had to ask him twice to do so. He said I was not as weak as I think I am, that there's a strength in me that he'd never seen before and it's part of why I've survived everything for this long. It's why I keep fighting."

Lillan stood to take the kettle from the fire and finish making their tea, brewing them a lavender blend that she hoped would help Rayla. "He's right, you know. For as long as I have known you, I don't think I've ever seen you give up. And even after years without seeing each other, you haven't changed that much. Sure you have to deal with the after effects of all that you've endured, but you're still the same Rayla I grew up with deep down."

Rayla accepted the cup of tea Lillan presented her with, holding it gingerly in her hands as they rested on the table. "What do I do...?"

"You do what you've always done: get right back up when you're knocked down and face it again." Lillan said, sipping her tea. "Have you ever thought about learning how to fight?"

Rayla looked at her, surprised. "N-No, not really... Why..?"

"You said you feel weak and powerless, right? Learning how to fight can help you overcome that. You feel like a burden to Farkas? Learning how to fight can help you overcome that, too. Living in the world we do, life is too short to go around worrying about the little things. And what it sounds like to me is that you have had enough of Velanus' games and you want to be able to stand on your own and face him head on." Lillan eyed her over her cup. "Am I wrong?"

Rayla thought on her words for a few moments, then met her gaze. "No, you're not wrong..." Then her mind turned to Farkas. "What about Farkas...?"

"What about him?" Lillan asked with a brow raised. "I guess the better question would be: what does he mean to you exactly?" she added, seeing her confusion.

"He means more to me than I ever thought he would. He always comes off as gruff and surly, but deep down he's a very caring person who just wants to do the right thing. He may not be the smartest like his brother, but he makes up for it with his skills in battle." Rayla started, dropping her gaze to the tea as it glimmered with the faint reflection of the firelight. "He volunteered to see me safely home before I even asked to hire someone. He protected me, kept me safe, all before even knowing my story. And he's kept doing it, no matter the cost, but I've always wondered if it were only because that was his job. At least, until earlier."

"Oh?"

Rayla's cheeks flushed under Lillan's inquiring gaze. "He kissed me... on the head..."

"I see." Lillan chuckled at her embarrassment and leaned back in her chair. "Is it more the fact that despite his outward impressions, he provided you with such a tender display of affection?"

"Maybe..."

"What do you feel when you're around him?"

"Safe and at ease."

"Has this feeling grown stronger between you the more time you spend together?"

"For me, it has, yes... I don't know about for him..."

"Are you willing to take a chance with him?"

"How do you mean?"

"Could you ever see yourself building a life with him?"

Rayla's heart skipped a beat and her cheeks flushed even deeper. "I-I don't know about that..."

Lillan chuckled. "Uh, huh. I'm inclined to believe otherwise." She set her cup down and reached forward, placing her hand over Rayla's. "Look, life is short enough as it is in Skyrim. When you find a good partner, you make that bond with or without love and if love blossoms from it, then you let it bloom into a wonderful and beautiful thing."

Rayla sighed. 'Could I ever have that kind of life with Farkas..?' She looked at Lillan. "What would I do about Velanus, though? He's been searching for me relentlessly to bring me back home. I can't just leave him... can I?"

"Did you leave your ring behind?"

Rayla nodded.

"Did you leave anything personal of yours behind?"

Rayla shook her head.

"Then, yes, you can just leave him. He's been abusing you for years and you, as a grown adult, have the power to leave him. If he can't get that through his thick skull, well then, I know a few people who might be able to persuade him to leave you alone." Lillan looked up as the sound of footsteps came from the back door as it closed. "Ah, speaking of."

"What are you roping me into this time, Lillan?" Brynjolf asked, eyeing her suspiciously as he joined them. "Rayla, you seem to be in slightly better sorts. I trust all is well?"

"As well as it can be, I suppose."

"And what of your friend?"

"He's resting, but he'll make a full recovery in a day or so."

"Good." Brynjolf looked back to Lillan. "Now, would you care to tell me what you lovelies were just talking about?"

Lillan looked at him coyly. "Rayla and I were just discussing that she should start learning how to fight so that if her ass of a husband ever comes around again she can kick him to the curb and make him take a hint that it's over."

"Ah, I see." Brynjolf sat next to Lillan and looked at Rayla. "Well, it certainly wouldn't hurt to at least learn to defend yourself. I know a few people who could help with that, I could ask around if you'd like?"

"Should she really get involved with your people, though, Bryn?" Lillan asked, looking at him with furrowed brow.

"What, are you saying we thieves aren't good enough now?"

Lillan stuck out her tongue as Brynjolf prodding her cheek teasingly. "That's not what I meant, Bryn, I'm just worried she would have to get involved with something she may not be ready for."

They continued to tease each other and bicker, only stopping when Rayla laughed softly at them.

"Well, now, that's a sound I haven't heard in a long time." Lillan said, smiling. "Glad we could amuse you."

Rayla smiled. "Thank you, Lillan, from the bottom of my heart." She looked outside and sighed. "I should get back to the bunkhouse..."

As Rayla stood, Brynjolf said, "I mean it, lass, if you need someone to show you the ropes, I know a few people who owe me favors that could show you a thing or two. No one will force you if you don't want to, but it couldn't hurt to know how to defend yourself."

"Thank you, Brynjolf. I think I just need a bit of time to think things over."

"Fair enough. Get some rest, lass."

Rayla thanked both of them, then left to return to the bunkhouse.

"Do you think she'll be alright?"

Lillan sighed. "I hope so."


End file.
